Data shows educators in Bexar County are reporting an increasing number of student injuries

SAN ANTONIO – A sprawling property in Helotes is what Margo Jimenez calls heaven on earth. She has been battling her personal hell there since February.

“It was a nightmare for me,” Margo Jimenez said, describing life without her husband, Alfred Jimenez.

He died in February 2024 after Northside ISD said a student injured him in a classroom.

While that incident was fatal, Margo Jimenez said her husband had been injured by students before.

“There was another time when he came home and his glasses were broken,” she said. “He had a black eye and a scratch [on his arm] and blood flowed.”

Alfred Jimenez is not alone. KSAT Investigates found that districts with schools in Bexar County have reported more than 4,000 student injuries to teachers in the last two school years.

>> Share your story: KSAT investigates teacher injuries in Bexar County schools

“Something has to be done”

Alfred Jimenez was a teaching assistant for children with special needs at Brandeis High School.

Students and staff called him “Mr. Fred.”

“He just had a way with these kids,” Margo Jimenez said. “I never thought he could do something like that.”

In February, Northside ISD said Alfred Jimenez redirected a student. During the interaction, the district said Jimenez fell and injured his head.

Alfred Jimenez died in the hospital. He was 74.

“I was there every day for 10 days and never left his side,” Margo Jimenez said. “We prayed the rosary every day because he loved the rosary.”

The medical examiner ruled his death a homicide. San Antonio police told KSAT that no charges will be filed against the student who caused the fatal injuries — and Margo Jimenez doesn't want them to be either.

“This person was my husband’s favorite student in his room where he took care of him,” she said. “He loved him to bits. I would never blame the student. Never.”

Margo Jimenez believes the blame lies with the decision makers.

“He should never have been murdered like he was at school,” she said. “He was pushed, shoved – whatever you want to call it. He’s dead now because the school districts and the state won’t do anything.”

Although what happened to Alfred Jimenez is rare, Margo Jimenez believes more can be done to ensure the safety of educators.

“I don’t care what it takes,” she said. “Something needs to be done before it happens again.”

Stings, bites, seizures

KSAT Investigates requested data from 19 districts with schools in Bexar County and reviewed thousands of educator reports of student injuries during the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years.

During the 2022-2023 school year, educators reported more than 2,600 reports of student injuries. The number increased slightly in the 2023-2024 school year.

Northeast ISD has provided a column in the records specifically for student-caused injuries. However, some stories involve injuries caused by students who were not identified as such.

Some reports suggest that the injuries were accidental, such as when a teacher trips over a student.

Others were intentional:

• A teacher reported that a student stabbed them in the stomach with a pencil, but the skin was not torn.

• A teaching assistant reported that his hair was pulled out by a student.

• A student bit a teacher's arm so hard that the skin was broken, according to the report.

• Another teacher had to be taken to hospital after a seizure. The teacher reported that he was hit in the face by a student.

Wanda Longoria, a retired teacher and treasurer of the Texas American Federation of Teachers, said injuries don't just happen in the classroom.

“They happen in the cafeteria, they happen in the hallways, they happen on the buses,” she said.

KSAT Investigates showed Longoria the number of injury reports in Bexar County. She believes the number could be larger.

But not every district tracks teacher injuries caused by students, such as Lackland ISD.

When asked why, CFO Demetria Jimenez responded told KSAT Investigates that the district reports all injuries to teachers and staff for their workers' compensation purposes.

“What do you think about that?” KSAT reporter Daniela Ibarra asked Longoria.

“I think it’s a travesty,” Longoria replied. “I think our voters deserve to know. Parents deserve to know.”

Margo Jimenez agrees. She believes the number of injuries should be a warning.

“I would hate for anyone to go through what I’m going through right now,” she said.

In a statement, Northside ISD spokesman Barry Perez said the district continually evaluates and updates its safety protocols.

Perez said district officials conducted de-escalation and general safety training. They also surveyed special education teachers to find out what protective equipment was needed.

“In all cases, we adhere to all guidelines in our Student Code of Conduct when it comes to disciplinary matters, including considering more restrictive environment(s) for special education students when appropriate, and we follow all special education laws,” Perez wrote in one Email KSAT.

Months after her husband's death, Margo Jimenez said there are still days when she has trouble getting out of bed.

“What do you think needs to change?” Ibarra asked.

“Honestly, I think what needs to change is that these teachers and schools get more help,” Margo Jimenez responded. “I feel like it took my poor husband dying for someone to maybe start doing something.”

Read more about the coverage KSAT Investigations Page.